Armstrong walks on moon - Jul 20, 1969 - HISTORY.com Armstrong walks on moon Publisher A+E Networks At 10:56 p.m. EDT, American astronaut Neil Armstrong, 240,000 miles from Earth, speaks these words to more than a billion people listening at home: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Stepping off the lunar landing module Eagle, Armstrong became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. The American effort to send astronauts to the moon has its origins in a famous appeal President John F. Kennedy made to a special joint session of Congress on May 25, 1961: “I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth.” At the time, the United States was still trailing the Soviet Union in space developments, and Cold War-era America welcomed Kennedy’s bold proposal.

In 1966, after five years of work by an international team of scientists and engineers, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted the first unmanned Apollo mission, testing the structural integrity of the proposed launch vehicle and spacecraft combination. Then, on January 27, 1967, tragedy struck at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, when a fire broke out during a manned launch-pad test of the Apollo spacecraft and Saturn rocket. Three astronauts were killed in the fire. Despite the setback, NASA and its thousands of employees forged ahead, and in October 1968, Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, orbited Earth and successfully tested many of the sophisticated systems needed to conduct a moon journey and landing. In December of the same year, Apollo 8 took three astronauts to the dark side of the moon and back, and in March 1969 Apollo 9 tested the lunar module for the first time while in Earth orbit. Then in May, the three astronauts of Apollo 10 took the first complete Apollo spacecraft around the moon in a dry run for the scheduled July landing mission. At 9:32 a.m.

on July 16, with the world watching, Apollo 11 took off from Kennedy Space Center with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin Jr., and Michael Collins aboard. Armstrong, a 38-year-old civilian research pilot, was the commander of the mission. After traveling 240,000 miles in 76 hours, Apollo 11 entered into a lunar orbit on July 19. The next day, at 1:46 p.m., the lunar module Eagle, manned by Armstrong and Aldrin, separated from the command module, where Collins remained. Two hours later, the Eagle began its descent to the lunar surface, and at 4:18 p.m. the craft touched down on the southwestern edge of the Sea of Tranquility. Armstrong immediately radioed to Mission Control in Houston, Texas, a famous message: “The Eagle has landed.” At 10:39 p.m., five hours ahead of the original schedule, Armstrong opened the hatch of the lunar module. As he made his way down the lunar module’s ladder, a television camera attached to the craft recorded his progress and beamed the signal back to Earth, where hundreds of millions watched in great anticipation.

At 10:56 p.m., Armstrong spoke his famous quote, which he later contended was slightly garbled by his microphone and meant to be “that’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” He then planted his left foot on the gray, powdery surface, took a cautious step forward, and humanity had walked on the moon. “Buzz” Aldrin joined him on the moon’s surface at 11:11 p.m., and together they took photographs of the terrain, planted a U.S. flag, ran a few simple scientific tests, and spoke with President Richard M. Nixon via Houston. By 1:11 a.m. on July 21, both astronauts were back in the lunar module and the hatch was closed. The two men slept that night on the surface of the moon, and at 1:54 p.m. the Eagle began its ascent back to the command module.

Among the items left on the surface of the moon was a plaque that read: “Here men from the planet Earth first set foot on the moon–July 1969 A.D–We came in peace for all mankind.” At 5:35 p.m., Armstrong and Aldrin successfully docked and rejoined Collins, and at 12:56 a.m. on July 22 Apollo 11 began its journey home, safely splashing down in the Pacific Ocean at 12:51 p.m. on July 24. There would be five more successful lunar landing missions, and one unplanned lunar swing-by, Apollo 13. The last men to walk on the moon, astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt of the Apollo 17 mission, left the lunar surface on December 14, 1972. The Apollo program was a costly and labor intensive endeavor, involving an estimated 400,000 engineers, technicians, and scientists, and costing $24 billion (close to $100 billion in today’s dollars).

The expense was justified by Kennedy’s 1961 mandate to beat the Soviets to the moon, and after the feat was accomplished ongoing missions lost their viability. Related Videos BBC ON THIS DAY | 21 | 1969: Man takes first steps on the Moon 1969: Man takes first steps on the Moon American Neil Armstrong has become the first man to walk on the Moon. The astronaut stepped onto the Moon's surface, in the Sea of Tranquility, at 0256 GMT, nearly 20 minutes after first opening the hatch on the Eagle landing craft. Armstrong had earlier reported the lunar module's safe landing at 2017 GMT with the words: "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." As he put his left foot down first Armstrong declared: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." He described the surface as being like powdered charcoal and the landing craft left a crater about a foot deep. 'We came in peace' The historic moments were captured on television cameras installed on the Eagle and turned on by Armstrong. Armstrong spent his first few minutes on the Moon taking photographs and soil samples in case the mission had to be aborted suddenly.

He was joined by colleague Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin at 0315 GMT and the two collected data and performed various exercises - including jumping across the landscape - before planting the Stars and Stripes flag at 0341 GMT. They also unveiled a plaque bearing President Nixon's signature and an inscription reading: "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969 AD. We came in peace for all mankind." After filming their experience with a portable television camera the astronauts received a message from the US President. President Nixon, in the White House, spoke of the pride of the American people and said: "This certainly has to be the most historic telephone call ever made." Many other nations - including the UK - sent messages of congratulation. Moscow Radio announced the news solemnly in its 1030 GMT broadcast. As Aldrin and Armstrong collected samples, Michael Collins told mission control in Houston he had successfully orbited the Moon in the mother ship Columbia, and take-off was on schedule for 1750 GMT this evening.

The first moon walker | Science News for Students The first moon walker Neil Armstrong made history in 1969 when he planted his feet — and a flag — on the moon Aug 29, 2012 — 11:58 am EST Astronaut Neil Armstrong’s official portrait for the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. NASA Editor's note: July 20, 2014 marks the 45th anniversary of the first moon walk. A little more than 40 years ago, an American astronaut climbed down the ladder of his lunar landing module — the Eagle — and became the first human to touch the moon’s surface. As he steadied himself, he said: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Around the globe, an estimated 530 million people watched on their televisions as Neil Armstrong uttered those now-famous words. On August 25, this American hero died at age 82. Armstrong and fellow moon walker Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin briefly became the first ambassadors to another world on July 20, 1969. Setting foot on another celestial body was a massive and breathtaking achievement.

And Armstrong’s words brought the human scale of that accomplishment to households around the world. “Neil was among the greatest of American heroes — not just of his time, but of all time,” said President Barack Obama. “When [Armstrong] and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation.” These men showed the world “that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible,” the president added. And these brave individuals “delivered a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten.” Preparing for a life of exploration Armstrong fell in love with flying at a young age. By 15 he was already taking lessons. He picked up odd jobs around his hometown to pay for flight time in a small airplane. He got his student’s flying permit, at 16, before he got his driver’s license. In college, he trained as an aeronautical and aerospace engineer. In this field , people learn how to design and control not only aircraft but also jets and other propulsion systems. But before he could finish college, Armstrong was called up for military service. He signed on to become a Navy fighter pilot. He flew 78 combat missions in Korea.

During one, his plane was hit and he had to parachute out. It was an event that could have killed him. But it didn’t frighten him off of flying. Instead, he went back to school and finished his studies. Then he joined a federal agency that would become the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. There, for 17 years, Neil Armstrong held a number of different jobs. He started as a test pilot for many pioneering aircraft. These included the X-15 , an experimental vehicle that could zoom through the atmosphere at more than 4,000 miles per hour! He made seven flights on that space plane, at one point reaching an altitude of 63,198 meters (207,500 feet). That’s about six times higher than today’s standard jumbo jets. And he didn’t just pilot the X-15. He also worked closely with the aircraft’s engineers and designers to improve the plane’s flight controls. In all, Armstrong flew more than 200 different models of aircraft, including jets, helicopters and gliders. That all changed in 1962 when Armstrong joined NASA’s astronaut corps.

Suddenly, his focus became rocketry and space exploration. Within four years, he was given the command of the Gemini 8 spacecraft, from which he controlled the first successful docking, or linkup, of two vehicles in space. But the highlight of his career was Apollo 11, that famous mission to the moon. And almost 1 in 5 people alive at the time shared in the excitement, watching as blurry television images showed Armstrong descending to the lunar surface. His team’s landing module had set down in a region known as the Sea of Tranquility. Within 20 minutes, Aldrin joined him. There, the two took photos, collected moon rocks and set up some science experiments. They also left mementos for future space travelers. These included a patch carrying the names of Virgil Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee — Apollo 1 crew members who died in a launchpad fire. Armstrong and Aldrin also left medals inscribed with the names of Vladimir Komarov and Yuri Gagarin, two Russian astronauts (called cosmonauts) who died during space flights in 1967 and 1968.

Finally, they left a small silicon disc that carried a miniature goodwill message from 73 world leaders (its message is so small that you would need a microscope to see the words). Neil Armstrong walking on the moon for the first time. Aldrin returned to the Eagle after 93 minutes on the moon’s surface. Armstrong, the mission’s commander, stayed 40 minutes longer. He savored the last bits of this huge adventure. Then the pair rejoined Michael Collins aboard the Apollo 11 space capsule for their return trip home. In all, the team spent more than eight days in space and traveled 953,054 miles (more than 1.5 million kilometers). And still their trip wasn’t really over. The men couldn’t step out of their space suits and rush to hug their families for another three weeks. Once back on Earth, the men had to remain in quarantine. It was a precautionary measure to make sure no one had picked up a dangerous germ during their lunar trek and carried it home. After his Apollo 11 trip to the moon, Armstrong stayed on at NASA and eventually rose to become its deputy associate administrator, in Washington, D.C.

Later, he became a college professor, teaching aerospace engineering. He then worked for several aerospace companies. It seems the man never could get enough of the idea of cruising through — and occasionally outside of — Earth’s atmosphere. After his death, Armstrong’s family issued a statement. They said, in part: “While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves.” Observes NASA Administrator Charles Bolden: “As long as there are history books, Neil Armstrong will be included in them, remembered for taking humankind’s first small step on a world beyond our own.” As a mark of respect for Armstrong and what his achievements represented, President Obama ordered that flags throughout the country and at U.S. embassies abroad be lowered to half-staff on the day Armstrong is buried. Power Words aerospace A research field devoted to the study of Earth’s atmosphere and the space beyond or to aircraft that travel in the atmosphere and space.

astronautics A research field specializing in the design and construction of aircraft — including those created for space travel. Apollo missions NASA’s third human spaceflight program. It sought to develop the technologies needed for long-distance space travel. It got a big kick-start after President John F. Kennedy proposed in 1961 creating the national goal of “landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.” astronaut People trained to travel into space for research and exploration. celestial body Any naturally formed objects of substantial size in space. Examples include comets, asteroids, planets, moons, stars and galaxies. cosmonaut Russian term for astronaut. docking The act of bringing together and inserting one thing into another. engineer An individual who applies science to practical purposes, such as the design or development of machines, structures or systems. lander A special, small vehicle designed to ferry humans between a spacecraft and the celestial body they will explore. lunar Relating to Earth’s moon. propulsion The act or process of driving something forward, using a force. For instance, jet engines are one type of propulsion for keeping airplanes aloft.

NASA - The First Person on the Moon The First Person on the Moon 01.16.08 Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Mike Collins and Buzz Aldrin flew on the Apollo 11 mission. Image Credit: NASA It was 1961. John F. Kennedy was the president of the United States. He wanted to land humans on the moon. The United States had just started trying to put people in space. Was NASA ready to go to the moon? The president and NASA knew they could do it. They were ready to put people on the moon. Apollo 11's mission was to land two men on the moon. They also had to come back to Earth safely. Apollo 11 blasted off on July 16, 1969. Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins were the astronauts on Apollo 11. Four days later, Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon. They landed on the moon in the Lunar Module. It was called the Eagle. Collins stayed in orbit around the moon. He did experiments and took pictures.

The sign the astronauts left on the moon says, "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon July 1969, A.D. We came in peace for all mankind." Image Credit: NASA On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to step on the moon. He and Aldrin walked around for three hours. They did experiments. They picked up bits of moon dirt and rocks. They put a U.S. flag on the moon. They also left a sign on the moon. The two astronauts returned to orbit, joining Collins. On July 24, 1969, all three astronauts came back to Earth safely. President Kennedy's wish came true. It took less than 10 years. Humans had walked on the moon. How Neil Armstrong Became the First Man on the Moon Updated August 29, 2016. Who Was the First Man on the Moon? For thousands of years, man had looked to the heavens and dreamed of walking on the moon.

On July 20, 1969, as part of the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong became the very first to accomplish that dream, followed only minutes later by Buzz Aldrin . Their accomplishment placed the United States ahead of the Soviets in the Space Race and gave people around the world the hope of future space exploration. Also Known As: First Moon Landing, First Man to Walk on the Moon Crew Aboard Apollo 11: Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Michael Collins Overview of the First Man on the Moon: When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, the United States was surprised to find themselves behind in the race to space. Still behind the Soviets in the Space Race four years later, President John F.

Kennedy gave inspiration and hope to the American people in his speech to Congress on May 25, 1961 in which he stated, "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth." continue reading below our video The Apollo 11 Moon Landing Just eight years later, the United States accomplished this goal by placing Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon. Take Off! At 9:32 a.m. on July 16, 1969, the Saturn V rocket launched Apollo 11 into the sky from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. On the ground there were over 3,000 journalists, 7,000 dignitaries, and approximately a half million tourists watching this momentous occasion. The event went smoothly and as scheduled. After one-and-a-half orbits around Earth, the Saturn V thrusters flared once again and the crew had to manage the delicate process of attaching the lunar module (nicknamed Eagle) onto the nose of the joined command and service module (nicknamed Columbia).

Once attached, Apollo 11 left the Saturn V rockets behind as they began their three-day journey to the moon, called the translunar coast. A Difficult Landing On July 19, at 1:28 p.m. EDT, Apollo 11 entered the moon's orbit. After spending a full day in lunar orbit, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin boarded the lunar module and detached it from the command module for their descent to the moon's surface. As the Eagle departed, Michael Collins, who remained in the Columbia while Armstrong and Aldrin were on the moon, checked for any visual problems with the lunar module. He saw none and told the Eagle crew, "You cats take it easy on the lunar surface." As the Eagle headed toward the moon's surface, several different warning alarms were activated. Armstrong and Aldrin realized that the computer system was guiding them to a landing area that was strewn with boulders the size of small cars. With some last-minute maneuvers, Armstrong guided the lunar module to a safe landing area. At 4:17 p.m.

EDT on July 20, 1969, the landing module landed on the moon's surface in the Sea of Tranquility with only seconds of fuel left. Armstrong reported to the command center in Houston, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." Houston responded, "Roger, Tranquility. We copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again." Walking on the Moon After the excitement, exertion, and drama of the lunar landing, Armstrong and Aldrin spent the next six-and-a-half hours resting and then preparing themselves for their moon walk. At 10:28 p.m. EDT, Armstrong turned on the video cameras. These cameras transmitted images from the moon to over half a billion people on Earth who sat watching their televisions. It was phenomenal that these people were able to witness the amazing events that were unfolding hundreds of thousands of miles above them. Neil Armstrong was the first person out of the lunar module. He climbed down a ladder and then became the first person to set foot on the moon at 10:56 p.m. EDT.

Armstrong then stated, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." A few minutes later, Aldrin exited the lunar module and stepped foot on the moon's surface. Working on the Surface Although Armstrong and Aldrin got a chance to admire the tranquil, desolate beauty of the moon's surface, they also had a lot of work to do. NASA had sent the astronauts with a number of scientific experiments to set up and the men were to collect samples from the area around their landing site. They returned with 46 pounds of moon rocks. Armstrong and Aldrin also set up a flag of the United States. While on the moon, the astronauts received a call from President Richard Nixon . Nixon began by saying, "Hello, Neil and Buzz. I am talking to you by telephone from the Oval Office of the White House. And this certainly has to be the most historic telephone calls ever made. I just can't tell you how proud we are of what you have done." Time to Leave After spending 21 hours and 36 minutes upon the moon (including 2 hours and 31 minutes of outside exploration), it was time for Armstrong and Aldrin to leave.

To lighten their load, the two men threw out some excess materials like backpacks, moon boots, urine bags, and a camera. These fell to the moon's surface and were to remain there. Also left behind was a plaque which read, "Here men from the planet earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969, A.D. We came in peace for all mankind." The lunar module blasted off from the moon's surface at 1:54 p.m. EDT on July 21, 1969. Everything went well and the Eagle re-docked with the Columbia. After transferring all of their samples onto the Columbia, the Eagle was set adrift in the moon's orbit. The Columbia, with all three astronauts back on board, then began their three-day journey back to Earth. Splash Down Before the Columbia command module entered the Earth's atmosphere, it separated itself from the service module. When the capsule reached 24,000 feet, three parachutes deployed to slow down the Columbia's descent. At 12:50 p.m. EDT on July 24, the Columbia safely landed in the Pacific Ocean , southwest of Hawaii.

They landed just 13 nautical miles from the U.S.S. Hornet that was scheduled to pick them up. Once picked up, the three astronauts were immediately placed into quarantine for fears of possible moon germs. Three days after being retrieved, Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins were transferred to a quarantine facility in Houston for further observation. On August 10, 1969, 17 days after splash down, the three astronauts were released from quarantine and able to return to their families. The astronauts were treated like heroes on their return. They were met by President Nixon and given ticker-tape parades. These men had accomplished what men had only dared to dream for thousands of years - to walk on the moon. First man on moon Neil Armstrong dead at 82 | Reuters Sat Aug 25, 2012 | 6:36 PM EDT First man on moon Neil Armstrong dead at 82 By Mary Slosson U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong, who took a giant leap for mankind when he became the first person to walk on the moon, has died at the age of 82, his family said on Saturday.

Armstrong died following complications from heart-bypass surgery he underwent earlier this month, the family said in a statement, just two days after his birthday on August 5. As commander of the Apollo 11 mission, Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969. As he stepped on the dusty surface, Armstrong said: "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind." Those words endure as one of the best known quotes in the English language. The Apollo 11 astronauts' euphoric moonwalk provided Americans with a sense of achievement in the space race with Cold War foe the Soviet Union and while Washington was engaged in a bloody war with the communists in Vietnam. Neil Alden Armstrong was 38 years old at the time and even though he had fulfilled one of mankind's age-old quests that placed him at the pinnacle of human achievement, he did not revel in his accomplishment. He even seemed frustrated by the acclaim it brought.

"I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks but for the ledger of our daily work," Armstrong said in an interview on CBS's "60 Minutes" program in 2005. He once was asked how he felt knowing his footprints would likely stay on the moon's surface for thousands of years. "I kind of hope that somebody goes up there one of these days and cleans them up," he said. A VERY PRIVATE MAN James Hansen, author of "First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong," told CBS: "All of the attention that ... the public put on stepping down that ladder onto the surface itself, Neil never could really understand why there was so much focus on that." The Apollo 11 moon mission turned out to be Armstrong's last space flight. The next year he was appointed to a desk job, being named NASA's deputy associate administrator for aeronautics in the office of advanced research and technology. Armstrong's post-NASA life was a very private one. He took no major role in ceremonies marking the 25th anniversary of the moon landing. "He's a recluse's recluse," said Dave Garrett, a former NASA spokesman.

Hansen said stories of Armstrong dreaming of space exploration as a boy were apocryphal, although he was long dedicated to flight. "His life was about flying. His life was about piloting," Hansen said. Born August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio, Armstrong was the first of three children of Stephen and Viola Armstrong. He married his college sweetheart, Janet Shearon, in 1956. They were divorced in 1994, when he married Carol Knight. Armstrong had his first joyride in a plane at age 6. Growing up in Ohio, he began making model planes and by his early teens had amassed an extensive aviation library. With money earned from odd jobs, he took flying lessons and obtained his pilot's license even before he got a car license. In high school he excelled in science and mathematics and won a U.S. Navy scholarship to Purdue University in Indiana, enrolling in 1947. He left after two years to become a Navy pilot, flying combat missions in the Korean War and winning three medals.

FLYING TEST PLANES After the war he returned to Purdue and graduated in 1955 with an aeronautical engineering degree. He joined the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA), which became NASA in 1958. Armstrong spent seven years at NACA's high-speed flight station at Edwards Air Force Base in California, becoming one of the world's best test pilots. He flew the X-15 rocket plane to the edge of space - 200,000 feet up at 4,000 mph. In September 1962, Armstrong was selected by NASA to be an astronaut. He was command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission and backup command pilot for the Gemini 11 mission, both in 1966. On the Gemini 8 mission, Armstrong and fellow astronaut David Scott performed the first successful docking of a manned spacecraft with another space vehicle. Armstrong put his piloting skills to good use on the moon landing, overriding the automatic pilot so he and fellow astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin would not have to land their module in a big rocky crater. Yet the landing was not without danger.

The lander had only about 30 seconds of fuel left when Armstrong put it down in an area known as the Sea of Tranquility and calmly radioed back to Mission Control on Earth, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." Aldrin, who along with Armstrong and Michael Collins formed the Apollo 11 crew, told BBC radio that he would remember Armstrong as "a very capable commander and leader of an achievement that will be recognized until man sets foot on the planet Mars." Armstrong left the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) a year after Apollo 11 to become a professor of engineering at the University of Cincinnati. DECLINES OFFERS TO RUN FOR OFFICE After his aeronautical career, Armstrong was approached by political groups, but unlike former astronauts John Glenn and Harrison Schmitt who became U.S. senators, he declined all offers. In 1986, he served on a presidential commission that investigated the explosion that destroyed the space shuttle Challenger, killing its crew of seven shortly after launch from Cape Canaveral in January of that year.

Armstrong made a rare public appearance several years ago when he testified to a congressional hearing against President Barack Obama administration's plans to buy rides from other countries and corporations to ferry U.S. astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Armstrong also said that returning humans to the moon was not only desirable, but necessary for future exploration -- even though NASA says it is no longer a priority. He lived in the Cincinnati area with his wife, Carol. "We are heartbroken to share the news that Neil Armstrong has passed away," the family said in their statement. "Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend." His family expressed hope that young people around the world would be inspired by Armstrong's feat to push boundaries and serve a cause greater than themselves. "The next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink," the family said. Obama said that Armstrong "was among the greatest of American heroes - not just of his time, but of all time. ... "Today, Neil's spirit of discovery lives on in all the men and women who have devoted their lives to exploring the unknown - including those who are ensuring that we reach higher and go further in space.

That legacy will endure - sparked by a man who taught us the enormous power of one small step." Glenn, an original NASA astronaut with Armstrong, spoke of his colleague's humble nature. "He was willing to dare greatly for his country and he was proud to do that and yet remained the same humble person he'd always been," he told CNN on Saturday. The space agency sent out a brief statement in the wake of the news, saying it "offers its condolences on today's passing of Neil Armstrong, former test pilot, astronaut and the first man on the moon." Armstrong is survived by his two sons, a stepson and stepdaughter, 10 grandchildren, a brother and a sister, NASA said. Some controversy still surrounds his famous quote. The live broadcast did not have the "a" in "one small step for a man ..." He and NASA insisted static had obscured the "a," but after repeated playbacks, he admitted he may have dropped the letter and expressed a preference that quotations include the "a" in parentheses. Asked to describe what it was like to stand on the moon, he told CBS: "It's an interesting place to be.

I recommend it." (Writing by Philip Barbara, editing by Bill Trott and Christopher Wilson) ADVERTISEMENT 1/13 This NASA file image shows U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong, the Apollo 11 Mission Commander, standing next to the Lunar Module ''Eagle'' on the moon July 20, 1969. Reuters/Edwin Aldrin-NASA/Handout + 2/13 Neil Armstrong, commander of Apollo 11 and the first man on the moon, laughs during testimony before a House Science, Space and Technology committee hearing on ''NASA Human Spaceflight Past, Present and Future: Where Do We Go From Here?'' in Washington in this September 22, 2011, file photo. Reuters/Molly Riley/Files + 3/13 The Apollo 11 crew of U.S. astronauts Neil Armstrong, (L) who was the Mission Commander and the first man to step on the moon, Edwin ''Buzz'' Aldrin, (R), who was the Lunar Module Pilot, and Michael Collins, (C) who was the Command Module pilot are pictured in this NASA studio file image, dated May 1, 1969.

Armstrong, has died at the age of 82, U.S. media reported on August 25, 2012. Reuters/NASA/Handout + 4/13 U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong (C) gives a thumbs-up after receiving the Congressional Gold Medal at the U.S. Capitol in Washington in this November 16, 2011, file photo. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst/Files + 5/13 The astronauts of Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong, Edwin ''Buzz'' Aldrin (R) and Michael Collins (L), received medals for their pioneering flight and stand in front of the command module Columbia which carried them on their historic flight, at The Air and Space Smithsonian 30 years after they first walked on the moon, in Washington, in this July 21, 1999, file photo. Reuters/Jamal Wilson/Files + 6/13 Portrait of Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, commander of the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing mission in his space suit, with his helmet.

GAC/JP + 7/13 Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong (L) and Buzz Aldrin talk about the launch of Apollo 11 on the 30th anniversary of the event at the Kennedy Space Center in this July 16,1999, file photo. Reuters/Joe Skipper/Files + 8/13 This NASA file image shows the July 16, 1969 launching of Apollo 11, the first manned mission to land on the moon, at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex in Florida. Reuters/NASA/Handout + 9/13 This NASA file image shows flight controllers celebrating the successful conclusion of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission at the Mission Operations Control Room at the Johnson Space Center on July 24, 1969. Reuters/NASA/Handout + 10/13 This NASA remote camera file image shows the July 16, 1969 launching of Apollo 11, the first manned mission to land on the Moon, from the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex in Florida.

Reuters/NASA/Handout/Files + 11/13 The first man on the moon astronaut Neil Armstrong waves as he makes an appearance to see actor James Doohan on stage at the end of the show, as part of the ''Beam Me Up Scotty...One More Time, The James Doohan Farewell Star Trek convention & Tribute'' at the convention in Hollywood August 29, 2004. Reuters/Gene Blevins GB/JDP + 12/13 FILE PHOTO JULY 1969 - The Apollo 11 Lunar Module ascent stage, with astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. aboard, is photographed from the Command and Service Modules in lunar orbit in this July, 1969 file photo. SV/JP + 13/13 This NASA file image shows Apollo 11 U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin standing on the Moon, next to the Lunar Module ''Eagle'' (R), in this July 20, 1969 file photo. Reuters/Neil Armstrong-NASA/Handout + Neil Armstrong Neil Armstrong Wow!

As a test pilot, Neil Armstrong made 7 flights in the X-15 aircraft. He was able to attain an altitude of 63,198 meters (207,500 feet). Neil Alden Armstrong was born on August 5,1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio. He holds a degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University and a masters degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California. From 1949 to 1952, Armstrong was a naval aviator. Upon leaving military service, he became a test pilot. While serving as a test pilot, he was chosen to be a member of the astronaut corps. Though he was on the backup crew of many previous flights, his first space flight occurred in 1966 aboard Gemini 8. During this flight, he and fellow astronaut David Scott successfully performed the first docking in space between two vehicles. In July of 1969, Neil Armstrong was the commander of Apollo 11, America's first attempt to land a manned vehicle on the Moon. On July 20, 1969 Commander Armstrong and fellow astronaut Edwin Aldrin successfully touched down on the lunar surface.

As Armstrong became the first person to touch the Moon's surface, he spoke the unforgettable phrase, "That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind". He and Aldrin explored the Moon's surface for 2.5 hours. Armstrong was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his accomplishments and his contributions to the space program. Show me a movie about the first steps on the Moon Quicktime format (~2.984 Mb) This movie is large, but worth the wait! Neil Armstrong left NASA in 1971 to join the faculty of the University of Cincinnati. He remained there as a professor of aerospace engineering until 1979. Armstrong served on the National Commission on space from 1985 to 1986. In 1986, he was appointed as vice chairman of the presidential commission that investigated the Challenger explosion. Neil Armstrong was married and had two children. He died August 25, 2012. A Question What was Neil Armstrong's occupation at the time he was chosen to be part of the astronaut corps?

Neil Armstrong: Facts About the First Man to Walk on the Moon | Primary Facts Neil Armstrong: Facts About the First Man to Walk on the Moon Posted on by James • 1 Comment On 20th July 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon. He is obviously best known for this achievement, but there was a lot more to him than just that moment. Below are some of the key facts about Neil Armstrong. Some of them you’ll probably know already, but hopefully you’ll learn something new as well. Neil Armstrong was born on 5th August 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio. He was really interested in flight and he managed to get a student pilot’s license when he was 16. He was able to fly a plane before he could drive a car! He studied aeronautical engineering at Purdue University. He was on a US Navy scholarship. In 1949, during his time at Purdue, he was called up to fight in the Korean War. He was a US Navy pilot and successfully completed over 75 combat missions. After the end of the Korean War, Neil Armstrong returned to university and finished his studies.

He joined NACA (which later became NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration), testing aircraft (such as the X-15 rocket plane) and working as an engineer. Neil Armstrong joined the astronaut program in 1963, moving to Houston, Texas. He was the command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission in 1966. Armstrong and his fellow astronaut, David Scott, managed to dock two vehicles in space (the first time this had ever been done), but technical difficulties meant that the mission had to be cut short. On 16th July 1969, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins set off on the first manned space mission (Apollo 11) to the Moon. On 20th July 1969, Neil Armstrong piloted Buzz Aldrin in the Lunar Module to the Moon’s surface. They spent about two and a half hours on the Moon, collecting samples and taking photographs. The mission returned on 24th July. After returning to Earth, Neil Armstrong became a massive celebrity, but he was never comfortable with fame and rarely gave interviews. He continued to work for NASA up until the early 1970s.

He then became a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Neil Armstrong died on 25th August 2012, following complications resulting from hear surgery. US Lands on the Moon 1969 US Lands on the Moon 1969 Nixon Campaigning On July 24th, six months before the goal set by President Kennedy, American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. Armstrong's words, as he set foot on the moon, were, "that's one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind." The US manned space program began when Alan Shepard became the first American astronaut in space, on May 5th, 1961. Shepard participated in the Mercury program, which was followed by the Gemini program. Twenty days later, President John F. Kennedy committed the United States to landing a man on the moon before the end of the decade. The Gemini programs included attempts at space docking between two spacecraft, as well as a spacewalk. The space program suffered a serious setback when, on January 27th, 1967, a fire destroyed an Apollo command module on the pad, killing the three astronauts within it.

Finally, on July 24th, 1969, American astronauts landed on the moon. Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, dies at 82 | Science | The Guardian Close This article is 4 years old Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, has died aged 82. The former US astronaut, who will go down in history as the most famous pioneer of space exploration , passed away as the result of heart complications following surgery. As commander of the Apollo 11 mission, he became the first person to set foot on the moon, on 20 July 1969, fulfilling the longheld dream of the United States to get there before the Soviet Union. His first words as he stepped on to the surface – "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" – instantly became one of the most recognisable phrases ever uttered. Armstrong underwent heart bypass surgery earlier this month, just two days after his birthday on 5 August, to relieve blocked arteries. His family released a statement on Saturday describing him as a "reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job".

It read: "We are heartbroken to share the news that Neil Armstrong has passed away following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures. Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. Neil Armstrong was also a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job. He served his nation proudly as a Navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut. "While we mourn the loss of a very good man we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves." Other tributes have come flooding in for the astronaut as news of his death spread across the world. US president Barack Obama hailed Armstrong as one of America's greatest heroes. In a statement issued by the White House, he said the crew of Apollo 11 carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation when they set out for the moon in 1969. He later tweeted: "Neil Armstrong was a hero not just of his time, but of all time.

Thank you, Neil, for showing us the power of one small step." Former astronaut Tom Jones, who completed four space shuttle flights between 1990 and 2001, said: "Mr Armstrong was one of the astronauts that was my hero when I was growing up and I watched his initial landing on the moon in 1969 with incredible interest. He really was an inspiration to an entire generation of people." The US space agency tweeted: "Nasa offers its condolences on today's passing of Neil Armstrong, former test pilot, astronaut & the 1st man on the moon. Neil was 82." Armstrong grew up in Ohio with a keen interest in flight and earned his pilot's certificate when he was just 15. After flying combat missions during the Korean war, he became a test pilot and joined Nasa's astronaut programme in 1962. Armstrong was joined on his moon landing by Buzz Aldrin and the pair spent nearly three hours walking on the lunar surface, collecting samples, conducting experiments and taking photographs. Last night Aldrin called Armstrong "a true American hero and the best pilot I ever knew". The Apollo 11 mission turned out to be Armstrong's last space flight.

The following year he was appointed to a desk job at Nasa, later becoming a lecturer in engineering at Cincinnati University. In 1961 President Kennedy had declared before the United States Congress that the US would have a man on the moon before the turn of the decade and the moon walk marked America's victory in the cold war space race. An estimated 600 million people – a fifth of the world's population – watched and listened to the moon landing, the largest audience for any single event in history.

Question: In which month of 1969 did Neil Armstrong become the first moon-walker?
Answer: JULY